MORGAN COUNTY-The State Health Department is investigating a potential foodborne outbreak in Morgan County. There has been one person confirmed dead. There are currently two cases that have been confirmed .
Dr. Mary McIntyre
There have been 19 reports of gastro-intestinal illnesses at three hospitals in the Morgan County area. So far, two of those have tested positive for E. Coli and salmonella, or both, and the person who died had E. Coli poisoning.
An epidemiologist with the Alabama Department of Public Health, Dr. Mary McIntyre, said they are looking for a common source, and they need to test more specimens. Several of the patients who had gastro-intestinal illnesses have one common denominator, and that is that several of them ate a meal that had been catered at a church in Morgan County on May 30 in which all had eaten chicken.
The health department wants anyone who has been asked by them to provide a specimen to please consider it, because they are having a tough time getting the number they need for testing.
MEDIA RELEASE/Alabama Department of Public Health
